If you don’t want to observe two minute silence- don’t be out

[Mokel]

Every Remembrance Sunday and Nov 11th, when I worked at retail, we did a tannoy announcement with 5 min, 2 min before to inform customers that the store will be observing the 2 min silence. Then another to start it.

Every time there were customers who kept talking. Plus one time a woman in her 50s shouted “why can’t anyone serve me some fucking fags?” Everyone just looked at her. Some had the courage to say how disrespectful she was once the silence ended.

If you are unable or refuse to observe the silence at 11am today or tomorrow, please don’t be in a public place.

It's just two minutes to remember billions of sacrificed lives.

I agree.I had my own business, a sandwich shop/cafe. We had printed signs explaining staff would be observing the silence at 11am and they'd be no service during those 2 minutes. These went up in the week before.
Without fail there would be at least one customer who just didn't get it so every year we would have a similar conversation
Us,informing customers
"Everyone,we'll be observing the 2 minutes in a moment,it's almost 11am"
Customers
"Ooh yes.Tell us when"
we'd have the radio on anyway so I'd give them the time. Silence.
Customer
"I'll have a chicken tikka mayo baguette with mixed salad today please"
Us

"it's the 2 minute silence"
Them
"Oh god yes of course,sorry,sorry." Pause "I'll have red onion as well and a cappuccino,just fancy a cappuccino!"
Every bloody year,a similar thing.
If you can't show respect a couple of times a year,it's a poor show in my opinion.

This was me for a second last year. I was in a supermarket but was rushing between two child's clubs and had to pick something up quickly. I never pay attention to tannoy announcements as they're generally asking someone to report to customer services or flagging up a license plate which doesn't affect me.

Anyway, was at the checkout and started talking to the cashier without realising! I didn't mean any disrespect, then as soon as I realised I stopped. I think in a supermarket setting that might be quite common because your mind is on something else and you've not kept tabs on the time.

That isn’t quite how meaning works.

I don't talk through funerals, in religious environments or at Remembrance services. None of those things have ever taken place in an Asda though, to my knowledge

Quite

Thankyou for the reminder ! I’d forgotten so will aim to be out and back before then as have a 6 year old who won’t comply

It's not meaningless.
Also nobody said that's all we need to do.
We need to remember, reflect and learn.

Why didn't you just close if it was genuinely that important to you?

That’s not what the OP was getting at.

Step into the back/away from the counter for your 2 minutes? If I've just walked into a cafe, I'm not reading your signs or listening to the radio to declare its 11am or whatever. I'm chatting to friends and wrangling my kids. It could be totally innocent.

The 2 min silence always falls off my radar. In the example the OP gave, I think a notice on the till "closed to observe the 2 minute silence" would be really helpful as I could easily be someone standing there confused and asking if I could check out, not trying to be rude, just forgetting. And personally, if I worked there I would want to step away from the till so that I could do my honouring whilst not feeling responsible for anyone being rude.

I understand what meaning is.

I don't think you need to worry about your 6yo who can't be quiet for the whole two minutes. Nobody begrudges that kid unless he's demanding fags or sandwiches from the cashier.

We’ve been doing it for over a hundred years and no one seems to have learned a thing from it. I object to the hypocrisy of it on that basis.

Didn't it used to be a one minute silence? Why did it increase?

Unwilling sure. Unable Don't be ridiculous. Some people CAN'T be quiet. I have a friend with torettes did you want him shut away at 11 o'clock just in case?

As if I’ll stay in my house🤣

Op sometimes people just forget. I remember shopping in town with a friend in my 20s and we were walking along the high st and then walked into M&S chatting and everyone was standing silently. It was a shock as we had no idea what time it was but we copped on and stood silently. The looks we got!

My message was longer but this one said it more succinctly. Just don’t be a dick,for two minutes. Two. Minutes.

I don’t think there can be a ‘should’ about it. The silence is an opportunity for shared reflection but not everyone takes up the opportunity. Lots do which says something.

You give the impression that you don’t 🤷🏻‍♀️

He can be really loud as is autistic and won’t stay still so it’s probably better we avoid it as I don’t want to offend people . I’d totally forgotten about it as always think of the 11th but forgot about today as well for some reason

Is it possible she had a mental impairment of some kind

It is important that honouring the dead is a voluntary act or it is meaningless. Let those for whom it has meaning do it, and those for whom it does not, not do it. It would be polite to stay silent when out if others are doing so, but should not feel obligatory.

I understand people's feelings about this, but find the poppy mafia unacceptable.

I think it has all become very performative like pp have said. The furore if a newsreader or sports presenter doesn't have a poppy on for weeks prioer is a bit much.

I would observe the two mins if out and about out of respect, but refuse to wear a poppy now as I no longer believe any government supports peace. There is too much money to be made from arms sales. They will happily send soldiers into harms way to line their pockets.